Forests Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Abstract.—Harvesting of chameleons from the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania for the exotic pet trade is of concern due to the high rates of habitat loss in this region and the fact that many of the species are endemic or near endemic to this isolated montane forest. Export of the majority of chameleons found in the East Usambaras is regulated by their listing under CITES Appendix II. To ensure harvesting is sustainable, however, greater knowledge of the ecology of species is needed.

- by James Vonesh
- •
- Zoology, Sex ratio, Forests, Nature Reserves

Structural information on soil organic matter (SOM) at the molecular level can be obtained on diverse structural units that are amenable to degradation techniques. Chemolytic techniques in combination with colorimetric analyses or GC MS are used to determine amino acids (proteins), sugars (polysaccharides), lipids, or aromatic oxidation products from lignin or charred organic matter. Microbial markers (amino sugars, muramic acid) are analyzed after hydrolysis and gas chromatographic separation. Macromolecular structures can also be subjected to thermochemolytic degradation or pyrolysis and subsequent analysis of the fragments by GC MS. Alternative techniques for the examination of organic matter in heterogeneous macromolecular mixtures are non-destructive spectroscopic methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Although this technique can give good results concerning the gross chemical composition, speci®c compounds are hardly identi®ed. The combination of spectroscopic techniques with thermolytic and chemolytic methods will add substantially to the understanding of the nature of refractory soil organic matter. Physical fractionation prior to analysis provides a means to dierentiate between distinct SOM pools that can be further characterized by the methods described above. Studies on SOM structural characteristics have focused mainly on the A horizons of soils under agriculture and litter biodegradation in forest soils and need to be extended to a wider variety of soil types and the subsoil. #

- by Jukka Heikkonen
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- Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition, Segmentation, Calibration

This study deals with the description of the vertical distribution of radiocaesium ( 137 Cs and 134 Cs) in a representative coniferous forest soil, investigated 10 months after the Fukushima radioactive fallout. During soil sampling, the forest floor components (understory plants, litter (Ol-) and fermented layers (Of)) were collected and treated separately. The results indicate that radiocesium is concentrated in the forest floor, and high radiocesium transfer factor observed in the undergrowth plants (3.3). This made the forest floor an active exchanging interphase for radiocesium. The raw organic layer (Ol þ Of) holds 52% (5.3 kBq m À2 ) of the Fukushima-derived and 25% (0.7 kBq m À2 ) of the pre-Fukushima 137 Cs at the time of the soil sampling. Including the pre-Fukushima 137 Cs, 99% of the total soil inventory was in the upper 10 cm, in which the organic matter (OM) content was greater than 10%, suggesting the subsequent distribution most likely depends on the OM turnover. However, the small fraction of the Fukushimaderived 137 Cs at a depth of 16 cm is most likely due to the infiltration of radiocesium-circumscribed rainwater during the fallout before that selective adsorption prevails and reduces the migration of soluble 137 Cs. The values of the depth distribution parameters revealed that the distribution of the Fukushima-derived 137 Cs was somewhat rapid.

- by SOOYOUN NAM
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- Migration, Japan, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences

The aim of this study is to develop a method by means of which it is possible to produce georeferenced ecological information about the habitat requirements of different species. The integrated habitat suitability index approach includes the steps of constructing habitat suitability models, producing data needed in models, evaluating of target areas based on habitat factors, and combining various suitability indices. The method relies on the combined use of empirical evaluation models and models based on expertise in geographical information system (GIS) environment. GIS was used to produce the data needed in the models, and as a platform to execute the models and to present the results of the analysis. Furthermore, multi-criteria evaluation methods (MCEs) provide the technical tools for modeling the expertise and for connecting (standardizing, weighting, and combining) the habitat needs of different species. The main advantages of the method were connected to possibilities to consider the habitat factors on different scales, to combine habitat suitability evaluations for several species and to weight different species in different ways, and to integrate empirical models and expert knowledge. The method is illustrated by a case study in which an integrated habitat suitability map is produced for a group of old-forest species.

- by Jukka Jokimäki
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- Cartography, Modeling, Multidisciplinary, Ecological Modelling
- by Eric Metzler and +1
- •
- Zoology, Lepidoptera, Forests, Species Diversity

Previous phytopathological studies of the fungal pathogen Nectria cinnabarina have been focused on its distribution and host diversity but little is known about the spread of this pathogen and the defence responses of forest trees to an infection inside host tissues. Histopathological alterations of bark, periderm, phloem and woody tissues were investigated in sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) branches following their natural attack by the advanced anamorph and teleomorph developmental stages of the fungus. Light, fluorescence, confocal laser scanning and scanning electron microscopy techniques supplemented by X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging were used to distinguish between healthy and disintegrated plant tissues. The intercellular spread of fungal hyphae was found primarily in the phelloderm. Expanding hyphae aggregations produced ruptures in the phellem and the disintegration of both phellogen and phellodermal parenchyma cells in close proximity to the expanding fruitin...

- by Jaroslav Ďurkovič
- •
- Forests

Re-establishing connectivity between protected areas isolated by habitat clearing is a key conservation goal in the humid tropics. In northeastern Costa Rica, payments for environmental services (PES) and a government ban on deforestation have subsidized forest protection and reforestation in the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor (SJLSBC), resulting in a decline in mature forest loss and the expansion of tree plantations. We use field studies and graph models to assess how conservation efforts have altered functional connectivity over the last 25 years for four species of insectivorous understory birds. Field playback studies assessed how reforestation habitat quality affected the willingness of Myrmeciza exsul, Henicorhina leucosticta, Thamnophilus atrinucha, and Glyphorynchus spirurus to travel outside forest habitat for territorial defense. Observed travel distances were greatest in nonnative and native tree plantations with high understory stem density, regardless of overstory composition. In contrast, tree plantations with low stem density had travel responses comparable to open pasture for three of the four bird species. We modeled landscape connectivity for each species using graph models based on varying possible travel distances in tree plantations, gallery forests, and pastures. From 1986 to 2011, connectivity for all species declined in the SJLSBC landscape (5825 km 2) by 14% to 21% despite only a 4.9% net loss in forest area and the rapid expansion of tree plantations over 2% of the landscape. Plantation placement in the landscape limited their potential facilitation of connectivity because they were located either far from forest cover or within already contiguous forest areas. We mapped current connectivity bottlenecks and identified priority areas for future reforestation. We estimate that reforestation of priority areas could improve connectivity by 2% with only a 1% gain in forest cover, an impressive gain given the small area reforested. Results indicate key locations where spatial targeting of PES within the SJLSBC study region would protect existing forest connectivity and enhance the connectivity benefits of reforestation.

- by Steven Sesnie
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- Costa Rica, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Birds

We report on a study of mid-rotation weed control and nutrient management in Eucalyptus pellita plantations in South Sumatra. The study was established at two contrasting sites (representing high and low productivity for the region) that had previously carried three rotations of Acacia mangium. A combination of weed control, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) fertiliser were applied at 1 and 2 years after establishment. We found that the addition of up to 250 kg N ha−1 applied either at 1 year or 2 years after planting did not improve growth. The application of P (30 kg P ha−1) at age 1 year (in addition to 12 kg P ha−1 applied at planting) did not enhance tree growth either. Keeping the plantation free from weed competition throughout rotation (full weed control) enhanced wood volume up to age 4 years at the high-productivity site, while it improved wood volume up to the end of rotation at age 6 years at the low-productivity site. An additional experiment assessing the effect of weed...

- by Eko Bhakti Hardiyanto
- •
- Forests

Global climate change may impact the cycling of C, N, and S in forest ecosystems because increased soil temperatures could alter rates of microbially mediated processes. We studied the effects of temperature on microbial respiration and net N and S mineralization in surface soils from four northern hardwood forests in the Great Lakes region. Soil samples were incubated in the laboratory at five temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C) for 32 wk. Headspace gas was analyzed for CO 2-C at 2-wk intervals, and soils were extracted to determine inorganic N and S. Cumulative respired C and mineralized N and S increased with temperature at all sites and were strongly related (r 2 = 0.67 to 0.90, significant at P = 0.001) to an interaction between temperature and soil organic C. Production of respired C and mineralized N was closely fit by first-order kinetic models (r 2 > 0.94, P = 0.001), whereas mineralized S was best described by zero-order kinetics. Contrary to common assumptions, rate constants estimated from the first-order models were not consistently related to temperature, but apparent pool sizes of C and N were highly temperature dependent. Temperature effects on microbial respiration could not be accurately predicted using temperature-adjusted rate constants combined with a constant pool size of labile C. Results suggest that rates of microbial respiration and the mineralization of N and S may be related to a temperature-dependent constraint on microbial access to substrate pools. Simulation models should rely on a thorough understanding of the biological basis underlying microbially mediated C, N, and S transformations in soil.

- by Kurt Pregitzer
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- Microbiology, Climate Change, Kinetics, Carbon
- by Yosio Shimabukuro
- •
- Geophysics, Remote Sensing, Methodology, Mixing

Purely observational studies have documented differences in the abundance and diversity of several litterdwelling arthropods between sites adjacent to, and far from, CWD, which suggests that reduction of fallen coarse woody debris (CWD) in temperate forests by traditional forestry practices may affect the litter arthropod community. As few field experiments have directly tested the impact of CWD on arthropods inhabiting the litter at different distances from CWD, we removed CWD from replicated open plots on the floor of a second-growth deciduous forest in order to reveal the causal connection between CWD and litter-dwelling spiders, often the most diverse and abundant predators among the litter macrofauna of temperate forests. We also documented the impact of the CWD manipulation on spider prey and several other major macroarthropod groups. Before removing CWD (∅ = 14.3 ± 0.7 cm), we measured response variables as a function of distance (0.5-1.5 m) from CWD in both removal and control plots. In agreement with results of previous research that solely utilized this observational approach in temperate forests, volume and dry mass of litter, spider diversity, overall spider density, and densities of 8 of 16 major spider genera were higher adjacent to CWD before experimental manipulations. Removing CWD reduced the amount of litter and the density of spiders in litter close to where the CWD had been. Removing CWD also altered spider community structure, which had differed between litter sites adjacent to, and far from, CWD prior to the experimental removal of CWD. The patterns, though, were not completely congruent, as some of the taxa affected by the manipulation had not differed between sites prior to the removal of CWD, and vice-versa. Our findings suggest that complex interactions among structural, biotic and microclimatic factors underlie the observed responses to CWD removal by spiders and other arthropods in the litter layer. We also conclude that drawing inferences solely from observational studies is not a reliable approach for predicting the impact of changes in the amount of CWD on arthropods of forestfloor leaf litter. Further field experiments manipulating different volumes of CWD are needed in order to determine the minimum amount of CWD that should be kept on the forest floor of managed forests in order to maintain densities and diversities of major leaf-litter arthropods.

- by David Wise
- •
- Forestry, Forest Ecology And Management, Biodiversity, Forest Ecology

Despite the importance of litter on forest floor albedo and brightness, previous studies have not documented forest floor albedo or litter cover in any detail. Our objective was to describe the seasonal influence of litter on spectral albedos and nadir reflectances of a forest snowpack in a mixed-hardwood stand in the Sleepers River Research Watershed (SRRW) in Danville, Vermont (37°39′ N, 119°2′ W). Experimental measurements in a nearby open area at the Snow Research Station of the SRRW nearly duplicated the spectral trend observed in the forest. Spectral albedo and nadir reflectance measurements in the visible and near infrared (350–2500 nm) transitioned from a gently curved shape through the visible range (for finer-grained, lightly littered snow) to one having a peak in the red/near-infrared (near 760 nm) as the snowmelt season progressed (for coarser-grained, more heavily littered snow). The snowpack became optically thin as surface litter reached high percentages. A point-in-time digital photographic survey of the late-lying snowpacks of three forest stands and the open showed that median litter cover percentages in the coniferous, deciduous, mixed-forest, and an open area were 17·5, 6·1, 1·2, and 0·04 respectively. A Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA on ranks and pairwise comparisons using Dunn's test indicated that the litter covers of the three forest stands were significantly different with >95% confidence. The snowpack was relatively shallow (<1 m), as is typical for this area of Vermont. From a remote-sensing standpoint, and since shallow snow and increased grain size also lower the visible albedo, we can expect that snowpack litter will cause decreased albedo earlier in the snowmelt season, at deeper snow depths, and will tend to shift the maximum albedo peak to the red/NIR range as the melt season progresses. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

- by Rae Melloh
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- Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Remote Sensing, Near Infrared

Medicinal plants are used worldwide due to their lower risk of side effects and eco-friendly, cost-effective production when compared to chemical drugs, encouraging researchers to further exploit the therapeutic potential of the former. One of the most popular medicinal plants is Vitex agnus-castus L., grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions, to which different health benefits have already been attributed. In this perspective article, the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic properties of V. agnus-castus L. have been analyzed and reviewed with a special focus on its health-promoting effects and potential nutraceutical applications.

- by Massimo Lucarini
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- Forests

In the United States, the common interest often is conceived as a by-product of the pluralist, interest-groupdriven democratic process. Special interests dominate in many political arenas. Consequently, we have lost the language, vocabulary, and ability to talk about the common interest. The way to reverse this trend is to develop and practice with new tools that allow us to articulate what we mean by the common interest in specific contexts. In this article, we leveraged the literature on procedural, substantive, and pragmatic decision making to illustrate how they work together to demonstrate whether and how the common interest was served in three case studies of Healthy Forests Restoration Act implementation on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. In two of the cases we found that the common interest was mostly served, while in the third case it was not. Our results raise questions about the ability of procedural criteria or substantive criteria alone to determine effectiveness in decision making. When evaluated together they provide a more complete understanding of how the common interest is or is not served.

- by Toddi Steelman
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- Forestry, Decision Making, Case Studies, Environmental Management

(1) Biodiversity, sustainable development and nature conservation are fundamental issues nowadays. All companies, administrations, governments and international organisations take these issues into consideration. Sustainable forest management always requires a compromise between profitability and conservation and in this fragile equilibrium, forest certification plays a key scheme. This sustainable management is of great importance in the European Union (EU), with the Forest Stewardship Council playing a fundamental role in forest certification. This certification forms the basis of the ecosystem conservation and improvement strategy in Ence, Energía y Celulosa, the leading company dedicated to the production of eucalyptus in Spain; (2) A three-phase protocol (identification of High Conservation Values, assessment of conservation areas and monitoring program), has been developed, providing clear, objective criteria, particularly concerning FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Principle 9, the primary goal being the development and application of these objective criteria in the Ence conservation areas in the province of Huelva (Spain). One of the main criteria for habitat classification was correspondence with the habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive. The compatibility between forest exploitation management and conservation proposed by the Natura 2000 network encouraged us to use this methodology for the identification, classification and assessment of High Conservation Values considered in FSC forest certification: Principle 9; (3) The study encompasses 183 forest management units covering 52,022 ha, with a total of 11,847.45 ha being identified as High Conservation Value Areas. Through the identification and assessment of the conservation areas, the described methodology played a crucial role in demonstrating the positive impact of Ence's certified forest management on the conservation of biological diversity; (4) This study demonstrates that an objective and reliable identification, assessment and monitoring methodology, with a proven high degree of accuracy in the location and characterisation of interesting and representative habitats in the region, can be implemented. Due to its objectivity, this strategy can be easily applied to other European sustainable forest management sites and possibly to other countries outside the EU.

- by Pablo Hidalgo
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- Biology, Forests

The research study examined the effect of tree properties (crown social class, diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree height) on bark thickness (BT) and sapwood moisture content (SMC) in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.). Both examined variables were shown to be positively affected by DBH and tree height. The relationship between DBH and SMC varied among crown social classes, while the relationship between DBH and BT was relatively constant across crown social classes. Crown social class had a relatively small effect on BT and SMC, having a more pronounced effect on SMC than on BT. The relationship between tree height and BT did not vary across crown social classes, while the relationship between SMC and tree height was found to change slightly across crown social classes. Measurements of BT and SMC in the field are affordable, fast, and easy to use. Both variables could potentially be used to improve predictions of bark beetle attacks, as they reflect the physiological ...

- by Luka Krajnc
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- Forests

Latitudinal shifts in tree species distributions are a potential impact of climate change on forest ecosystems. It has been hypothesized that some tree species may become extirpated as climate change effects may exceed their migration ability. The goal of this study was to compare tree species compositions in northern urban areas to tree compositions in forestland areas in the eastern U.S. as an indicator of the potential for urban trees to facilitate future forest tree species migration. Results indicated that a number of tree species native to eastern U.S. forests of southern latitudes are currently present in northern urban forests. The biomass density (Mg/ha) of urban tree species is typically less than half of forestland densities with the majority of urban tree species found in nearby (<100 km) forestland. Urban tree propagation is often facilitated by humans, whereas the necessary pollinators and agents of tree seed dispersal in forestlands may be lacking regardless of climate change. It is suggested that urban areas may serve divergent, dual roles as both a native tree seed source and refuge for a limited number of forestland tree species, but also a facilitator of non-native tree invasion.

- by David Nowak
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- Forestry, Climate Change, Migration, Seed Dispersal

Research Highlights: Pestalotiopsis pini sp. nov. is an emerging pathogen on stone pine, Pinus pinea L., in Portugal. Background and Objectives: Stone pine is one of the most important forest tree species in Portugal and in the whole Mediterranean basin. Pestalotiopsis species are common endophytes, saprobes or pathogens in a variety of hosts and environments. The objective of the present study was to identify the Pestalotiopsis species associated with the symptomatic stone pine trees. Materials and Methods: Samples of stone pine trees showing shoot blight and stem necrosis were obtained from stone pine orchards and urban areas in Portugal, and the isolated Pestalotiopsis species were identified based on morphology and combined ITS, TEF and TUB DNA sequence data. Artificial inoculations on one-year-old stone pine seedlings were performed with the two species most frequently found in association with shoot blight disease. Results: Five Pestalotiopsis spp. were isolated. A taxonomic n...

- by Helena Braganca
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- Forests

The resplendent image of the elephant –celebrated, feared, admired and honoured is a key part of the Indian ethos and collective conscience. The elephant in Indian culture has been a crucial symbol of many ideas like power and intelligence. Elephants, due to their astounding physiology became a vital part of the army and as an animal to both impress and terrify. The linkage between the elephant and kingship, along with its need of forest in a situation where captive breeding is unfeasible, has been discussed in the paper. The paper surveys major periods of Indian history and the role of coalescence of instrumental and symbolic factors in the persistence of elephants. The usefulness of the elephant, the taboo on its killing, the rise and spread of the worship of Ganesha, the role of king’s enamor for the giant, the spread of the institution of the war elephant in various parts have been closely examined. Moreover, a comparison of India and China too has been attempted to see the difference in the ethos and land ethic of the two critical socio-political and cultural entities. The paper also discusses the newly emerging theoretical framework of ethno-elephantology which places keen interest on local cultures and critiques humanist polarities of nature and culture.

- by Vipashayana Tanwar
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- History of Ideas, Environmental History, Animal Symbolism, Elephants

Transportation planning is an important part of the supply chain or wood flow chain in forestry. There are often several forest companies operating in the same region and collaboration between two or more companies is rare. However, there is an increasing interest in collaborative planning as the potential savings are large, often in the range 5-15%. There are several issues to agree on before such collaborative planning can be used in practice. A key question is how savings should be distributed among the participants. In this paper, we investigate a number of possibilities based on economic models including Shapley value, the nucleolus, separable and non-separable costs, shadow prices and volume weights. We also propose a new allocation method, with the aim that the participants relative profits are as equal as possible. A large case study comprising eight forest companies in Sweden, is described and analyzed.

- by Kurt Jörnsten
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- Economics, Forestry, Supply Chain Management, Natural Resources

The fungal pathogen Fusarium circinatum is the causal agent of Pine Pitch Canker (PPC), a disease which seriously affects different species of pine in forests and nurseries worldwide. In Europe, the fungus affects pines in northern Spain and Portugal, and it has also been detected in France and Italy. Here, we report the findings of the first trial investigating the susceptibility of Polish provenances of Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L., to infection by F. circinatum. In a greenhouse experiment, 16 Polish provenances of Scots pine were artificially inoculated with F. circinatum and with six other Fusarium species known to infect pine seedlings in nurseries. All pines proved highly susceptible to PPC and displayed different levels of susceptibility to the other Fusarium spp. tested. The findings obtained indicate the potentially strong threat of establishment of an invasive pathogen such as F. circinatum following unintentional introduction into Poland.

- by Adam Okorski
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- Forests

The aim of this study was to evaluate Scots pine stand degradation caused by the pollutants emitted from Zakłądy Azotowe Puławy, one of the biggest polluters of the environment in Poland for over 25 years (1966–1990). To assess the pollution stress in trees, we chose the dendrochronological analysis We outlined three directions for our research: (i) the spatio-temporal distribution of the growth response of trees to the stress associated with air pollution; (ii) the direct and indirect effects of air pollution which may have influenced the growth response of trees; and (iii) the role of local factors, both environmental and technological, in shaping the growth response of trees. Eight Scots pine stands were selected for study, seven plots located in different damage zones and a reference plot in an undamaged stand. We found that pollutant emission caused disturbances of incremental dynamics and long-term strong reduction of growth. A significant decrease in growth was observed for t...

- by Wojciech Ożga and +1
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- Forests
- by Jason Moghaddas
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- Environmental Science, Behavior, Fire, Biological Sciences

Microwave modification can increase the permeability of wood by delaminating and rupturing its anatomical microstructures at their weak points. A high degree of intensity of microwave modification can cause significant structural damage to the microstructures of wood, resulting in poorer strength properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in the anatomical structure of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) heartwood and sapwood after microwave modification in order to develop the most effective treatment in terms of applied energy without causing significant structural damage. Analysis with light and scanning electron microscopy were performed to evaluate the effect of microwave treatment for two different energy intensities, moderate and high intensity. The results indicated structural changes in the tracheid cells. Microscopy showed varying degrees of modification within the wood microstructure, with the heartwood samples showing a greater anatomical dis...

- by Angela Balzano
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- Materials Science, Forests

Fossil occurrences across the world are endangered by development, construction, collecting, and vandalism, even though many outstanding examples have been protected by World Heritage Sites, national parks, monuments and reserves, state and provincial parks, and local government and non-profit organizations, as well as some private individuals. The International Palaeontological Association (IPA) established a PaleoParks Initiative to protect endangered sites and to catalog and make public established parks of any nature that protect fossils in the ground, a primary source of scientific data, educational opportunities and recreational activities, as well as key places protecting "living fossils". IPA has 15 aims and goals and a web site for documenting both established and proposed sites. IPA sponsored meetings and workshops at three international meetings over the past five years to discuss these problems, successful solutions, and its goals and aims. Ten examples of Pale...

- by Jere Lipps
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- Geography, Geology, Paleontology, Stratigraphy

We investigated forest responses to global warming by observing: (1) planted Pinus halepensis forests, (2) an aridity gradient-with annual precipitation (P) ranging from ~300 to ~700 mm, and (3) periods of wet and dry climate that included the driest period during at least the last 110 years. We examined: (1) how the length of climatic integration periods to which trees are most responsive varies in space and time, (2) the extent to which competition modulates growth decline during drought (2011) and subsequent recovery (2012) years. The temporal scale of rainfall that was most influential on growth shortened in progressing southward, and in the drier than in the wetter period. Long-term underground water storage, as reflected in the relationship of growth to multiple-year rainfall, remained significant up to the point where P ≈ 500 mm. Under drier conditions (P < 500 mm) in both space and time, influential rainfall scales shortened, probably reflecting a diminishing role of wate...

- by Avi Perevolotsky
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- Soil, Water, Ecology, Climate

We divided the canopy of a 50-year-old secondary Fagus crenata stand into an array of small three dimensional (3D) rectangular cells (termed voxels, 0.25 m × 0.25 m × 0.20 m in height), and determined the leaf area density (LAD) of all voxels using the vertical point quadrat method. The estimated LAD values showed good agreement, at both voxel and stand scales, with measured values obtained by destructive sampling and litter trapping, respectively. The 3D distribution of LAD was then imported into a ray-tracing program based on a turbid medium analogy to simulate photosynthetic photon flux density at leaf surface (PPFD leaf ) within a voxel at 30-min intervals. To include finite leaf size and non-random leaf dispersion within a voxel in the light calculation, the angular dependency of the shoot silhouette to projection area ratio (SPAR), with the foliage volume the same as the voxel, was used as the light extinction coefficient in the analogy. In addition, the frequency distribution of PPFD leaf within a voxel was simulated at each interval for all leafy voxels in the canopy, by integrating a Monte-Carlo simulation of the voxel-shading fraction of a solar disc in the light calculations. The light simulation provided reasonable estimates of both the mean PPFD leaf and the frequency distribution of PPFD leaf in a voxel for evaluating canopy photosynthesis (P canopy ), when comparing them to the measured values. Ignoring the within-voxel variation in PPFD leaf caused a 21.8% overestimation of P canopy during the summer period (July to September). The results demonstrate the potential importance of a detailed description of light heterogeneity in P canopy calculations.

- by Yoshitaka Kakubari
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- Applied Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Monte Carlo Simulation, Modeling
- by Jennifer Swenson and +1
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- Forest Ecology And Management, Environmental Design, Quantitative analysis, Biological Sciences

. Forest bird diversity in Mediterranean areas affected by wildfires: a multi-scale approach. -Ecography 25: 161-172. Fire is a key mechanism creating and maintaining habitat heterogeneity in Mediterranean landscapes by turning continuous woody landscapes into mosaics of forests and shrublands. Due to the long historical role of fires in the Mediterranean, we hypothesised a moderate negative effect of this type of perturbation on forest bird distribution at a landscape level. We conducted point bird censuses in Aleppo pine forest patches surrounded by burnt shrublands and studied the relationships between three ecological groups of bird species (forest canopy species, forest understorey species, and ubiquitous species) and the features of local habitat, whole patch and surrounding landscape. We used a multi-scale approach to assess the effects of landscape variables at increasing spatial scales on point bird richness. Regarding local habitat components, canopy species were positively associated with tall pines while understorey species with the cover of shrubs and plants from holm-oak forests. Forest birds were positively related to patch size and irregular forest shapes, that is, with high perimeter/size ratios. Thus, these species did not seem to perceive edges as low quality but rather favourable microhabitats. We did not detect any negative effect of isolation or cover of woodlands in the landscape on the presence of forest species after local habitat factors had been accounted for. Finally, only local habitat factors entered the model for ubiquitous species. We suggest that mosaic-like landscapes shaped by fires in the Mediterranean basin are not strongly associated with negative effects fragmentation on forest birds other than those related with habitat loss. S. Herrando (sherrand@bio.ub.es) (present address: Grup Català d'Anellament, Girona 168 E-5,

- by Sergi Herrando
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- Principal Component Analysis, Ecology, Heterogeneity, Habitat

Aim The paper has four major objectives: (1) to determine whether diaspore mimics accurately represent dispersal dynamics of real diaspores in a free-flowing river; (2) to estimate distance travelled and reasons for stranding of floating... more

- by Christer Nilsson
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- Earth Sciences, Biogeography, Biodiversity, Forest Ecology

Aim To forecast the responses of alpine flora to the expected upward shift of treeline ecotones due to climatic warming, we investigated species richness patterns of vascular plants at small spatial scales across elevational transects.

- by Emilia Gutierrez
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- Ecology, Localization, Biogeography, Biodiversity
- by VERONICA N ONJORO
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- Political Economy, Education, Social Sciences, Ecosystem Services

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus uirginianus) can cause major changes in the composition and structure of forest communities by browsing shnibs and tree seedlings and grazing understory forbs. Such effects have become an increasingly pervasive management concern in protected natural areas and parks where conservation of native plant communities is a primary objective. The magnitude of these effects can vary widely according to variations in local deer numbers and availability of alternate food sources. We used measurements from 11 maple-basswood forest fragments in southcentral Minnesota to examine the predictability of deer grazing intensity on understory forbs based on local winter deer density, composition of the landscape surroundng each forest fragment, and characteristics of forb populations within the forest. In early summer, grazing intensity on 6 palatable forb species at most sites was inversely correlated with the availability of alfalfa within a 1.5-km radius of the stand (r 2 = 0.66); winter deer density and forb flowering rate within the stand were additional important predictors of grazing intensity. Later in the growing season, most variability in the intensity of grazing among forest fragments could be explained either by the availability of row crops, alfalfa, and fields within a 1.5-km radius of the stand (r2= 0.75) or by a combination of winter deer density and forb abundance within the stand (r 2 = 0.75).Results show that parks and preserves with low densities of palatable plant species in the forest understory may be especially susceptible to effects of deer grazing. Changes in landscape composition (e.g., increased row-cropping or conversion of land to residential developments) should be an important consideration in the management of deer densities in areas designed to protect native forest communities.

- by David Augustine
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- Forecasting, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Forests

The use of criteria and indicators (C&I) for data collection, monitoring, assessing and reporting on sustainable forest management (SFM) has been growing since the Earth Summit in 1992, supported by eleven intergovernmental, regional and international forest-related C&I processes. The initial effort led to varying levels of implementation across countries. Several processes never went much beyond the adoption of a first set of C&I while others have made substantial progress. In recent years, interest in C&I for SFM has again increased. In light of the Sustainable Development Goals and emerging global challenges the contribution of C&I to monitor, assess and report on forest conditions and trends is increasingly important. We compare and analyse the structure, activities and progress of the intergovernmental C&I processes. The work is based on document analysis and questionnaires sent to the secretariats of the processes and C&I experts. We found many similarities but also major diff...

- by Mostafa Jafari
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- Forests

EUCALYPT ecologists in Australia finally have a text that is a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge on eucalypt ecology. This book incorporates and expands on ideas found in Eucalyptus, the Universal Australian by Pryor... more

- by John Woinarski
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- Genetics, Plant Ecology, Taxonomy, Ecology
- by Richard Pouyat
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- Soil Science, Ecology, Invasive Species, Nitrogen Cycle

This article reports responses of two different forest ecosystems to 9 years (1988-96) of chronic nitrogen (N) additions at the Harvard Forest, Petersham, Massachusetts. Ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ) was applied to a pine plantation and a native deciduous broad-leaved (hardwood) forest in six equal monthly doses (May-September) at four rates: control (no fertilizer addition), low N (5 g N m -2 y -1 ), high N (15 g N m -2 y -1 ), and low N ϩ sulfur (5 g N m -2 y -1 plus 7.4 g S m -2 y -1 ). Measurements were made of net N mineralization, net nitrification, N retention, wood production, foliar N content and litter production, soil C and N content, and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) in soil water. In the pine stand, nitrate losses were measured after the first year of additions (1989) in the high N plot and increased again in 1995 and 1996. The hardwood stand showed no significant increases in nitrate leaching until 1995 (high N only), with further increases in 1996. Overall N retention efficiency (percentage of added N retained) over the 9-year period was 97-100% in the control and low N plots of both stands, 96% in the hardwood high N plot, and 85% in the pine high N plot. Storage in aboveground biomass, fine roots, and soil extractable pools accounted for only 16-32% of the added N retained in the amended plots, suggesting that the one major unmeasured pool, soil organic matter, contains the remaining 68-84%. Short-term redistribution of 15 N tracer at natural abundance levels showed similar division between plant and soil pools. Direct measurements of changes in total soil C and N pools were inconclusive due to high variation in both stands. Woody biomass production increased in the hardwood high N plot but was significantly reduced in the pine high N plot, relative to controls. A drought-induced increase in foliar litterfall in the pine stand in 1995 is one possible factor leading to a measured increase in N mineralization, nitrification, and nitrate loss in the pine high N plot in 1996.

- by Alison Magill
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- Carbon, Biomass, Leaching, Climate

Amazonian forests are experiencing rapid, structure, composition and microclimate, and are highly vulnerable to droughts and fires -alterations unprecedented changes that are having major impacts on wildlife, regional hydrology and the... more

- by William F. Laurance
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- Zoology, Hydrology, Ecology, Forest Fragmentation

Ungulate herbivory can impact riparian vegetation in several ways, such as by reducing vigor or reproductive output of mature plants, and through increased mortality of seedlings and saplings. Much work has focused on the effects of livestock grazing within riparian corridors, while few studies have addressed the influence of native ungulate herbivory on riparian vegetation. This study investigated the effect of deer herbivory on riparian regeneration along three streams with degraded riparian corridors in Mendocino County, California. We utilized existing stream restoration efforts by private landowners and natural resource agencies to compare six deer exclosures with six upstream control plots. Livestock were excluded from both exclosure and control plots. Three of the deer exclosures had been in place for 15 years, one for 6 years, and two for 4 years. The abundance and size distribution of woody riparian plant species such as Salix exigua , S. laevigata , S. lasiolepis , Alnus rhombifolia , and Fraxinus latifolia were quantified for each exclosure and control plot. The mean density of saplings in deer exclosures was 0.49 Ϯ 0.15/m 2 , while the mean density of saplings in control plots was 0.05 Ϯ 0.02/m 2 . Within exclosures, 35% of saplings were less than 1 m and 65% were greater than 1 m; within control plots, 97% of saplings were less than 1 m in height. The fact that little regeneration had occurred in control plots suggests that deer herbivory can substantially reduce the rate of recovery of woody riparian species within degraded riparian corridors. Exclusionary fencing has demonstrated promising results for riparian restoration in a region with intense deer herbivory.

- by Jeff Opperman
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- Restoration Ecology, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Forests

Forest management practices conducted primarily at the stand scale result in simplified forests with regeneration problems and low structural and biological diversity. Landscape models have been used to help design management strategies to address these problems. However, there remains a great deal of uncertainty that the actual management practices result in the desired sustainable landscape structure. To investigate our ability to meet sustainable forest management goals across scales, we assessed how two models of forest dynamics, a scaled-up individual-tree model and a landscape model, simulate forest dynamics under three types of harvesting regimes: clearcut, gap, and uniform thinning. Althougth 50-100 year forecasts predicted average successional patterns that differed by less than 20% between models, understory dynamics of the landscape model were simplified relative to the scaled-up tree model, whereas successional patterns of the scaled-up tree model deviated from empirical studies on the driest and wettest landtypes. The scale dependencies of both models revealed important weaknesses when the models were used alone; however, when used together, they could provide a heuristic method that could improve our ability to design sustainable forest management practices.

- by Michael Papaik
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- Earth Sciences, Forestry, Modeling, Forecasting

Forest Liming Pollution Acidification a b s t r a c t

- by Stanislav Korenko
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- Soil Science, Air pollution, Czech Republic, Biological Sciences

For nearly two and a half decades now the Protected Area Update (PAU) has religiously presented a consolidated account of India’s wildlife and protected area (PA) network. Published six times a year, it carries in a tightly edited format, news and information of what is happening in, to and around these national parks and sanctuaries that have been at the core of India’s wildlife conservation strategy.
In the second of a series of edited books that synthesis this huge body of information on geographical lines The State of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Maharashtra - News and information from the Protected Area Update 1996–2015 presents a consolidated historical account of developments in the PA network in Maharashtra over two decades. While the primary unit still remains the individual protected area, the time line has changed from two months of one issue to 20 years that this publication covers.
In following one news item after another about any particular PA we see what happened month after month, year after year; what developments recurred at what periodicity; what were the issues that were important and what was done about them – it’s an important glimpse into the contemporary history of a place (many places) marked on the map as a protected area.
Published 2019 ISBN:9788192326931 Price Rs. 400.
Order at a 20% discount by writing to psekhsaria@gmail.com; also on amazon at https://tinyurl.com/vz5aet3

In the current study, a novel approach combining quantile regression with nonlinear mixed-effects (QR-NLME) modeling was applied to predict the maximum crown width (cwmax) of three economically important forest species—the European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), the black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.), and the Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) at tree level. A power QR-NLME model was fitted first to a dataset including 1414 European beech trees obtained from 29 randomly distributed sample plots, 770 black pine trees from 25 sample plots, and 1880 Calabrian pine trees from 41 sample plots in Greece, to predict the cwmax at tree level. Additionally, a nonlinear mixed-effects model (NLME) was fitted to the same dataset to predict the average crown width at tree level for all species. In the second stage, the crown competition factor (CCF) was estimated based on the population average response of the cwmax predictions. The proposed approach presented sound results when compared with the outcome...

- by Dimitra Papadopoulou and +2
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- Forests

Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) is one of the most important diseases of pine. Although its notoriety stems from Southern Hemisphere epidemics in Pinus radiata plantations, the disease has increased in prevalence and severity in areas of the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, during the last two decades. This increase has largely been attributed to expanded planting of susceptible hosts, anthropogenic dispersal of the causative pathogens and changes in climate conducive to disease development. The last comprehensive review of DNB was published in 2004, with updates on geographic distribution and host species in 2009. Importantly, the rec ognition that two species, Dothistroma septosporum and D. pini, cause DNB emerged only relatively recently in 2004. These two species are morphologically very similar, and DNA- based techniques are needed to distinguish between them. Consequently, many records of host species affected or geographic location of DNB prior to 2004 are inconclusive ...

- by funda oskay
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- Microbiology, Plant Biology, Biology, Forests